Amidst reports that mainland China will cut at least 40 percent of possible tourists to Taiwan, the mayor of its capital Taipei said that the city already has a backup plan. 

Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je told American press that his government has drafted plans to diversify its tourist base and will work to attract more visitors from Japan and 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 

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Ko is in the United States for his first official visit which will last for nine days. Ko flew to San Francisco, Taipei's sister city, early last week, and is scheduled to visit its two other sister cities, Los Angeles, and Phoenix in Arizona.  

"We will try to avoid putting all eggs in one basket," Ko told reporters. 

It is rumored that mainland China will slash 43 cities out of 47 whose residents are allowed to travel to the Taiwan Strait. 

"We're still trying to confirm (the rumors), but the other side said 'as of now, there is nothing of the sort.' I cannot make any speculation or inference," said Yang Chia-chun, chief secretary of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC). 

The seemingly harsh measures is seen as putting pressure to newly-elected Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen to agree to the controversial "1992 consensus," which says that both sides of the Taiwan Strait is considered as "one China." However, the interpretation of the meaning of "China" is still up in the air and has been a cause of misunderstandings. 

Ko has said that he hopes China will not "use business to push politics." 

Tags1992 consensus, Taiwanese president elect, China-Taiwan relations, Yang Chia-chun, Tourism in Taiwan, mainland China politics force, Taiwan Strait